Hi I am new on here and Im not sure where to post

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Hi everyone, I found your forum last eve during my search for some advice on my situation. Im not sure where to post my questions so if you could suggest which thread I should post I would appreciate it. In a nutshell... I have a 2004 Audi 4.2 engine. Motor was disassembled, cylinder walls were coated in Nickel Silicon Carbide (aluminum block), installed new rings and reassembled engine. I ignorantly put in synthetic oil. Im looking for help, suggestions from engine builders or anyone with experience with setting piston rings. I have learned that I should not use synthetic on ring setting.

Thanks in advance
 
Welcome to the board. What type of rings were used? Some break in faster/easier than others. (I'm just speaking generally...I've never worked on one of those particular engines.)
 
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Many really experienced and helpful folks here, you seem to be in right forum.

Above question is beyond my pay grade
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OK, Awesome! Thanks for chiming in guys. Here is more info on situation

Cylinder coating was done here http://www.millennium-tech.net/serviceInfo.php?id=12

Mobile 1 0-20. This oil was only in the engine for about 7 miles and 40 min of idling. I switched out to a conventional 20-30 as soon as I realized what I did.

The aluminum cylinder walls on this engine score very easily and its very common. I decided to get them plated to add strength to them. They plate the walls to a little over factory bore, then hone the walls to spec size. I used stock rings from Audi.

Im aware that I messed up pretty bad and am humbled by my lack of seeking advice or knowledge. I followed the Audi rebuild manual and did not question the oil. See the walls from factory are a polished aluminum wall for say. So the manual is saying synthetic is fine in ring replacement. I went to bed one night and realized that my walls are not the same as what the manual says anymore since mine have been coated..
Panic struck hard. Its a 10+hr book time to pull this engine, add another 4 or 5 to get pistons out and then re cross hatch, new rings and so on...

Im crossing my fingers that Since I switched oil so soon, removed all the syn I could and I will change oil again in a few miles, that I can get these rings to seat with out redoing everything.

Im not blowing any smoke but the car has no power at all. Like I said in initial post, the rings have less then 10 miles on them and motor has probably ran for a little over a hour by this time...
 
Many new cars come right from the factory with synthetic oil. What the problem? Does it burn excess oil?
I have never heard of plating or plasma coating these blocks only boring/honing to an almost mirror finish them finally roughen them slightly to expose silicon particles.

There should be no problem seating the rings on these regardless of the oil used simply because of the silicon particles which are harder than the piston ring, the ring will break in/wear properly regardless if the job was done right.

Edit: I see your link, I never knew they started with plating but the plating seems to have the same properties as the OE as far as silicon particles so the above would still apply.
 
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It REALLY depends on the quality of machine work.

Older engines needed a rougher cylinder wall surface to help "wear in" piston rings that were not 100% perfectly round.

A lot of newer machine practices with very close tolerances are not like that.

You need to ask the company that did the cylinder coating (like aircraft cylinders are coated) what to use. They might suggest synthetic oil from the beginning.

When I install Nikasil aircraft cylinders, I break them in on semi-synthetic.
 
Originally Posted By: Vailshred
I'm not blowing any smoke but the car has no power at all.


This is bad.

Any number of things can cause this - what are the temperatures like?
 
all temps seem normal. Compression test with block cold were between 135 and 145 on all 8. Tops of pistons were damp when I peeked through plug holes, 1 cylinder was dry. I do remember when I took it out for the 7 mile spin it started to gain a little more power towards the end of the drive. Maybe that 1 dry piston was beginning to seat?
 
email from company

Well! This caught me off guard. Lol Our recommendation is to use a zinc rich non synthetic for break-in. The synthetic is soooo good it can deter break-in by lubricating the ring coating meant to aide in break-in. That being said, there are mixed ideas about synthetics effectiveness/ineffectiveness. Personally, I see no advantage in changing over to the non-syn oil at this stage. The additive packages in your syn oil are already attached to the metal parts. A quality non syn, zinc rich will not have enough/proper detergents to remove the synthetic additive package. I would “run what you brung” at this stage.
 
Mobil 1 0w20 is not synthetic oil.

Most NA synthetic oils are petroleum oil base.

This break in fokelore is more at Castor bean oil and other fatty ester oils NOT paraffin oils or poly alpha.

Look elsewhere for issue like bad intake gasketing/sealing ANYWHERE, Air metering connected and leak free, wrong injector wiring.

and ... numero uno: incorrect cam phasing.

Also - BTDT myself - missing ground wire (S) to block and head

time early - but I understand that.
 
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New oils are zinc/phos rich.

ZDP gets used up like a case of beer in a frathouse over time.

That 1200ppm zinc rich oil will have 800 ppm ACTIVE ZDP after a month.

A 25w40 4 stroke motorboat oil is not a bad choice.
 
Originally Posted By: Vailshred


Im aware that I messed up pretty bad and am humbled by my lack of seeking advice or knowledge.


Not so. Nikasil or other variations on the nickel silicon carbide plating processes always seat the piston rings rapidly. You did nothing wrong and you won't have any issues.

Furthermore, your use of uber-thin oil will not keep the rings from wearing against a freshly honed Nikasil cylinder. Really, it's not a problem. Your lack of power issue lies elsewhere.
 
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Thank you everyone, never had so many helpful and quick replies ever on any other forum! You guys are great

Ok... so I should be getting compression test numbers at around 160-170ish. I was thinking that they were low because of rings not seated yet. Thoughts?

I will start a leakdown test next week. Im leaving town Tuesday and im full till then. I return on the 11th and will get right to it.

Im not leaking any fluids at all nor have I lost any coolant yet.

Should i drive it for a bit and see if power starts gaining with milage?
 
Originally Posted By: Vailshred
Thank you everyone, never had so many helpful and quick replies ever on any other forum! You guys are great


Welcome back! Where have you been?
 
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Originally Posted By: Vailshred
Thank you everyone, never had so many helpful and quick replies ever on any other forum! You guys are great


Welcome back! Where have you been?


New on here and 1st time posting.
 
First, I have no experience building Audi engines, or with the bore coating you used.

That said, I have to agree with the company. At this point, the rings may be seated to whatever point they're going to be. I always use basic dino 10W30 for break-in...like the company told you, break-in on syn is controversial, and I just prefer not to take that chance. Many have reported no problems with it, though.

I wish you the best and hope everything turns out well with your engine. Please keep us updated!
 
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